Limping Yankees open three-game series with Athletics

BRONX, New York (Ticker) -- Under normal circumstances, losing a
home series to the rival Boston Red Sox results in plenty of
anxiety for the New York Yankees. But the defending American
League East Division champs currently have much bigger problems
to deal with.

The suddenly shorthanded Yankees hope to overcome their recent
setbacks when they host the Oakland Athletics on Friday in the
opener of a three-game series.

On top of dropping a tough 5-3 decision in Thursday's rubber
game with Boston, New York learned that it will be without left
fielder Hideki Matsui for an extended period of time. The
Japanese slugger fractured his left wrist in the first inning
Thursday while attempting to make a diving catch.

Matsui will have surgery on Friday at Columbia-Presbyterian
Hospital and could miss up to three months. His loss could not
have come at a worse time for New York, which is already without
injured right fielder Gary Sheffield.

With their list of injured stars growing by the day, the Yankees
give the ball to Chien-Ming Wang (2-1, 4.83 ERA) on Friday. The right-hander from Taiwan is coming off a solid six-inning performance
in New York's 8-5 victory at Texas on Sunday.

Oakland counters with ace lefthander Barry Zito (2-2, 4.07), who
hopes to avenge his awful outing vs. New York on Opening Day.
The former Cy Young Award winner failed to get out of the second
inning in the Athletics' 15-2 loss but has pitched much better
of late. He has surrendered just one run in 14 2/3 frames over
his last two starts.

The A's look to rebound from consecutive losses to the Toronto
Blue Jays. Nick Swisher homered twice Thursday, but Oakland
squandered an early lead in an 8-3 loss to Toronto.